Media Monday: Carol Ladwig, Snoqualmie Valley Record

Rosalind Brazel /
October 22, 2013

Each Monday, we’re giving readers a chance to get to know the media a little better.

With a little flair.

Our goal is to give readers some insight into the work and work style of area journalists, and get to know a little bit about the person behind the byline. Start your week off with an online networking opportunity through our Media Monday blog post.

This Week: Carol Ladwig, Snoqualmie Valley Record

Carol has been at the Record since November, 2010. She wrote for the Valley View and the River Current News before coming to the Record. She lives in Duvall with her husband Jason and two cats.

Q: What’s your favorite story you’ve done in the last week?

A: It’s a toss-up between the elementary school kids doing a rain-garden planting with Stewardship Partners, and the library’s “sugar skull” teen activity. Kids almost always say something priceless, I love being outside, and I especially like seeing the teens gradually relax into themselves.

Q: What skills do new journalists need?

A: The same skills as the old journalists, mainly observation and listening, empathy, being analytical helps, and a love of the language, to make a story enjoyable, not just medicinal.

Q: If you weren’t working at your current job, what would you be doing?

A: Realistically, back to technical writing, but if I could pick my non-journalism career; it would be fund-raising/PR for one of the nonprofits I support.

Q: Finish this sentence: “A good PR person is …”

A: …proactive, accessible, and frank about what he or she doesn’t know.

Q: What hidden talent or skill do you have that viewers/readers don’t know about you?

A: It has no practical application, and it’s enough out there that I don’t entirely believe in it, but I can dowse! Yep, the water-witching thing. I “discovered” this years ago, working on a story about a group trying to find unmarked graves in an old cemetery. They used ground-penetrating radar, but one of them brought dowsing rods along, for fun. He let us try them, and I was one of those who “triggered” on spots that the radar later confirmed finding something. I missed a couple, though, so not very reliable.

The PR Pro Takeaway: One of the more interesting hidden talents we’ve seen on Media Monday. She gives great tips for new journalists. Connect with Carol on Twitter.